Clampdown on excessive tailgating causes spike in arrests
Thursday, March 24, 2011University of Iowa officials say off-campus patrols by campus police are causing a spike that led to twice as many arrests in 2010.
A clampdown on excessive tailgating on home football Saturdays is also a factor.
UI police doubled the number of arrests in 2010 compared to 2009, or from 955 to 1,970, according to an Iowa state Board of Regents report. The number of charges is up from 1,229 to 2,395 and incidents are up from 2,344 to 3,003.
Similar statistics at University of Northern Iowa and Iowa State University are nearly identical from 2009 to 2010.
“When our officers are into the downtown area they are dealing with whatever comes about,” UI Vice President for Business and Operations Doug True said.
True noted that UI students only account for about one-third of charges, and there has been a 42 percent reduction in alcohol emergencies, such as alcohol-related emergency room visits and contact to students’ families.
True said he believes by next year the surge will stabilize.